2024-04-16 06:18:02
A common belief is that the café given before a certain age blocs To be growth. While many of us who are otherwise tall would like to be able to blame caffeine, this is a myth. In fact, caffeine it does not act in the growth processes of bones and musclesbut, according to theEFSA (the European Food Safety Authority) can cause other problems, including anxiety, stress and sleep problems. Let’s see where this false myth comes from and what are the real risks associated with consuming caffeine at a young age.
No studies confirm that caffeine delays the growth of children.
Let’s start by clarifying that There is no scientific evidence to suggest that caffeine consumption inhibits growth. and the caffeine risk assessment carried out by EFSA also confirms that, for the healthy population, there is no particular health risk if consumed within certain limits.
Caffeine consumption in children and adolescents is linked to its presence, as well as in coffee, as well as in drinks and foods such as chocolate, tea, To be Et energy drinks. However, caffeine does not affect bone development, nor our height, but rather the central nervous system, where among other actions inhibits adenosine production, a molecule that stimulates sleep, and on the cardiovascular system. Caffeine, in fact, increases the release of adrenaline and norepinephrine, hormones that act increase heart rate (i.e. the number of beats per minute) and the arterial pressure.
According to several studies and the EFSA opinion, the main risks linked to excessive caffeine consumption in children and adolescents are the same as those faced by adults. For a single dose, the risk mainly concerns insomnia, palpitations and tremors; prolonged consumption may lead to the development of anxiety disorderssleep disorders cardiac.
Because caffeine is thought to stunt growth
This false myth that caffeine consumption in children and adolescents could stunt their growth has its origins in some studies that linked coffee consumption to the onset and worsening of the disease. osteoporosis (a pathology that causes a loss of bone strength).
In reality, this correlation must also be put into context. First of all, these are studies carried out on pre- and post-menopausal women. we cannot transmit the results to the rest of the population. Secondly, it is true that caffeine could facilitate the elimination of calcium through urine, but among the main causes of osteoporosis, as also indicated by the Ministry of Health, there is a calcium and vitamin D deficiency. Caffeine affects when taken in excessive dosesas part of an unbalanced diet and when there is not sufficient intake of calcium and vitamin D through food or supplements.
People suffering from osteoporosis should avoid caffeinated drinks, but although it is an aggravating factor, caffeine consumption alone does not cause this pathology. Studies that investigated this correlation, however, report that women who consumed a lot of coffee also tended not to drink milk and, in general, had a diet low in calcium and vitamin D. As always, “it’s the dose that makes the poison.” .
In any case, caffeine would act on a population already at risk of osteoporosis or in an already pathological situation, whereas as we have seen, on the healthy population. it has no effect on bones or bone growth processes.
What are safe doses of caffeine to take
According to the EFSA, the same doses as adults can be considered safe for adolescents and children, as they both metabolize caffeine at the same rate. Let’s talk about 3 mg of caffeine per kilogram of body weight per day (3 mg/kg body weight
per day): for example, a square of milk chocolate contains 10 mg of caffeine, a can of Coca-Cola® around 40 mg, while an espresso contains around 80 mg.
Specific concentrations of caffeine in beverages or candy bars may vary depending on the production process and the variety of coffee and cocoa used.
Sources:
EFSA – Caffeine ISS – Coffee EFSA NDA Panel (EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies), 2015. Scientific opinion on the safety of caffeine. EFSA Journal 2015; 13(5):4102, 120 Seifert, SM, Schaechter, JL, Hershorin, ER, & Lipshultz, SE (2011). Effects of energy drinks on the health of children, adolescents and young adults. Pediatrics, 127(3), 511-528 Barrett-Connor, E., Chang, JC, & Edelstein, SL (1994). Coffee-associated osteoporosis compensated by daily milk consumption. The Rancho Bernardo study. JAMA, 271(4), 280-283 Harvard University – Can coffee really stunt your growth?
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